The climate

A patchwork of climates
According to Météo France our region boasts 24 different climates. On average the Rhone Alps has twice as much rainfall as any other French region and with its 7000 km of water sources, it is no wonder that water is such a dominant feature.

However, this oceanic influence is subdued by the barrier of the Massif Central to the west, the Mediterranean currents in the south and the Alps to the east (600-2000 mm rainfall per year): anti-cyclonic tendencies are the norm.

Within the region's borders such contrasting climates are impressive: in just a few kilometres it is possible to go from a damp climate to a very dry one.

Similarly the mountain weather (wet) is diametrically opposed to that in Montélimar (Mediterranean - hot and dry). The corridor formed by the Saône and Rhône valleys, effectively the Rhone Alps' backbone, is relatively dry.